Caldwell grabs lead in Irish Amateur Open

Clandeboye’s Jonathan Caldwell fired a three under par 69 to grab the first round lead in the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Portmarnock.

The 21-year-old Ulster Youths champion, hit five birdies but double bogeyed the 18th to lead by one stroke from England’s Adam Wainwright.

Holywood’s Rory McIlroy sandwiched an eagle three at the 13th between a pair of double bogeys and then bogeyed the last as well to card a disappointing 73 after reaching the turn in two under.

But there were no major problems for Caldwell until the last after he birdied the first, second, fifth, 10th and 13th to go five under.

A poor drive at the last forced him settle for a double bogey six on a day when just seven players broke par.

“It was a pity to finish that way but the weather delay didn’t bother me because they happen all the time in America and I am well used to it,” he said.

“Overall it was a pretty good day. I only got into this as a reserve on Thursday so it’s nice to play well and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week."

McIlroy birdied the first and fifth to turn in two under par but suffered a roller coaster back nine of 39 to finish on one over.

“It’s disappointing. I didn’t drive it very well and missed a few wee putts here and there,” McIlroy remarked afterwards.

“I was two under after nine, missed a chance to go three under at the 10th and walked off with a 73.”

AIB Irish Amateur Open – At Portmarnock (par 72)

69 J Caldwell (Clandeboye).

70 A Wainwright (Eng).

71 J P Savolampi (Fin), H Leon (Chile), A Ahokas (Fin), J King (Sco), R Harris (Eng).

72 G Mallon (N West), J Lyons (Galway), J Pernaa (Fin), A Ulvio (Finn), T Dykes (Wal), D Antonelli (Fra), R Leonard (Banbridge), J Morris (Mullingar), D Belch (Eng), P Maddy (Eng).

73 P McGibney (Elm Park), M Salminen (Fin), K Bornemann (Douglas), T Sistonen (Fin), B Westgate (Eng), T Remkes (Hol). R McIlroy (Holywood), G Bowden (Hermitage), D Morgan (Mullingar), A Rosado (Por), S Lowry (Esker Hills).

74 J Gallagher (Sco), B R Fotheringham (Sco), S Jamieson (Sco), J Carvill (Warrenpoint). A McCormick (Scrabo), M Gaynor (USA). C Hughes (Royal Portrush), D Houlihan (K Club), D Van Doren (Bel)..

75 D Carroll (Grange), M Campbell (Stackstown), H Mantyla (Fin). L Collins (Eng), Z Gould (Wal), C Doran (Banbridge). N Edwards (Wal), C Mills (Wal), G Murray (Sco), E Saltman (Sco). J W Van Hoof (Hol), A McAllister (Portmarnock), Z Saltman (Sco), J Smedley (Eng), S Ward (Co Louth)..

76 T Pollari (Fin), E Mcintosh (Sco), P O’Hara (Sco), M Searle (Eng), C Geraghty (Eng). S Henry (Sco), S Van Dunyn (Hol), R Wilson (Eng), A O’Callaghan (Douglas), M Sinclair (Knock), P Figuienedo, J Cameron (Eng).

77 T O’Neill (Rathsallagh), C Collin (Fin), R P Thomas (Wal), D Robertson (Aus), S Power (W Waterford). C Cousins (Wal). G Hall (Edenderry), P Murray (Limerick), D Kelleher (Portmarnock), R Evans (Moyola Park), M Collins (Sutton). C Martin (Nenagh).

78 D Perrett (Eng), I Konvenmaa (Fin), P O’Keeffe (Douglas), G O’Flaherty (Cork), A McCloy (Ballymena). A Hogan (Newlands), J Somers (Laytown and Bettystown), P McGrath (Dromoland), M Horan (Birr), R Cannon (Laytown and Bettystown), R Maunder (Eng), A Dultzin (Fra), B Sigl (Ger), S Kirstein (Ger), S Keenan (Galway), S Grant (Birr), D Seaman (Eng), H Joannes (Bel), B McCarroll (Ballyliffin), B Evans (Eng), K Crowley (Lee Valley).

79 M Hart (Eng), N Kearney (R Dublin), S Moloney (Castletroy), E McAnoy (Knock), D Finn (Mallow), C Housden (Eng).

80 W McCully (Donaghadee), M Poucher (Castle), R Boan (Scrabo), M Brett (Portmarnock), R McCarthy (The Island), B Kruze (Eng), M O'Sullivan (Stow Acres), D McInerney (Lahinch).

81 J Fox (Portmarnock), N Grant (Knock), M Baroche (Fra). M Hamm (Ger).

82 R Zwalhen (Fra), E McCormack (Galway).

83 J McGinn (Laytown and Bettystown)

85 V Depret (Fra).

87 D O’Brien (Laytown and Bettystown).